Developing an Indepth Lesson Plan
11
LESSON PLAN
HANNA BESSER
TEACHING THE BIBLE
PROFESSOR BLAN
NOVEMBER 1, 2006
Lesson Data
Lesson Title: “Say What?!”
Scripture Text: I Samuel 3:1-10, The Message
Central Topic: Hearing God’s voice
Aim Statement: The student will demonstrate an awareness of hearing God’s voice by finding moments during the week to tune out distractions.
Memory Verse: I Samuel 3:10 “Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen.’” (The Message)
Lesson Assumptions
Teaching Context
This lesson is prepared under the assumption that it will be shared at a youth group’s weekend retreat. The youth leader has set aside this weekend as a bonding excursion, but has also filled it with meaningful moments to learn from the Bible and seeks to encourage the youth to pursue a relationship with God that goes beyond a mundane religious schedule. The room is a plain-looking space, roughly measuring 20x30ft with a 9ft ceiling. There is faux-wood paneling on the floor. This is a meeting room in a cabin-esque ski-resort. The walls are painted in a neutral taupe shade, and the ceiling is a popcorn ceiling. There are 2 couches and 2 love-seats in the room as well as 4 coffee tables, 6 end-tables, and 20 folding chairs. The furniture is comfortable, yet supportive and has some mauve throw pillows on it. The folding chairs are cream with mauve fabric cushions. There are power outlets throughout the room and a portable dry erase board with markers and an eraser. Including the folding chairs and the original seating capacity of the furniture (without considering floor space), the room may comfortably seat 30. There is a wood-burning fireplace on the right-hand side of the room, and only one entry doorway. There are two windows looking out toward woods that have effective cream Venetian blinds and each have neutral beige drapes. The room temperature is 73 degrees, and the smell from previous wood fires still lingers in the air. There are several lighting fixtures (60 watt bulbs) that provide adequate lighting without the harshness of fluorescent lights. This gathering will take place on a Saturday at 7 pm, making it far enough after the scheduled dinner so that the students are not hungry, nor are they sleepy from their digesting food.
Student Demographics
This group of 20 students ranges in age from 14 years old to 17 years old. Eighty percent of the group is Caucasian or from Western-European decent. The other twenty percent is composed of two African-Americans, one Latino, and one person from South Korea. There are 12 females and 8 males (the ratio is 3:2). Most of the students are from middle class families, but two are from well-endowed households, and two have only made it to the retreat through scholarship from the church. They are all single and either leaving junior high or are in high school. All except for two regularly attend the church and consider themselves to be Christians. The other two are friends of the majority of the group through school. Only 20 percent of the group participates in activities at church other than Sunday school and Wednesday night services. 70 percent attend church semi-regularly, or at least tag a long when their parents come or they are forced to be there. The remaining ten percent are the two students who do not go to the church. They have each visited a Wednesday night service once or twice before.
Major Assumptions
Motivation of the learners
These students are required by the weekend schedule to attend this session. The weekend itself drew more students than usually come to the church services, because they had a chance to participate in skiing and toboggan sledding throughout the evening on Friday and in the afternoon on Saturday. They want to be in the room, because they were worn out from the day, and have been reenergized by dinner. They are now ready to sit comfortably for a little bit before the other activities of the evening take place. The students didn’t just come to the weekend for the activities, but to make new friends, bond with current ones, or reestablish friendships that once existed. Of course the guys and girls came to see if the other gender was interested in a fun/romantic relationship of any kind.
Prior knowledge of the learners about the topic/Biblical text.
Most will be familiar with the story of Samuel, but I will recap the main events of his story for those who are not. I am assuming that the majority of the students have times when they feel lost, directionless, or in need of a friend. They are also familiar with many forms of entertainment and media, and most of them carry cell-phones or have accounts set up on the internet under social networks. The majority of them have sat under teaching about reading the Bible and praying, but have probably been caught up with life, and often feel convicted about these subjects because they don’t “practice” these musts often enough as prescribed by sermons.
Distractions for the learners.
Some will no doubt be tired from the events of the weekend so far. The guys will be looking at the girls and vice versa. Some may think the lighting is too bright, while others too dim, and some may feel chilled, while still others are too warm. The lingering smell of the fireplace may be a distraction as well. If the central heating unit makes any noises when it kicks on, that could draw their attention. The general bodily noises of digestion or “sighs” or the like could pull the students away from time to time. If the students did indeed play hard, their muscles may be sore. They may also be tempted to play with the throw pillows.
Lesson Plan
Classroom Preparation
Arrange the sofas, loveseats, and 10 chairs into a semi-circle with the end tables and coffee table interspersed. Place one chair for yourself in front of the semi-circle in order that the seating might face you. The dry erase board (with markers and an eraser) should be at the front of the room. One end table should also be at the front of the room with the handouts, envelopes, writing utensils, and a few extra Bibles. This is also where you should place the CD player (plugged in with the prepared CD cued up). Make sure the drapes are open to allow a light atmosphere in the room, but do not forget to mostly close the blinds. The lights will of course be turned on.
The Lesson
HOOK
[As the students enter the room, welcome them and encourage them to have a seat on one of the couches or in a chair. Once everyone is gathered, begin with the HOOK.]
I’m going to play a series of sound clips that I’m sure you’ll recognize. After I play each one or as soon as you recognize the voice, shout out the identity of the voice. [Play a CD, prepared in advance, of 8 sound clips from well known movies, TV, or music icons, having the students identify the voices of those speaking. Some good examples of clips are: Napoleon Dynamite, Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail, George W. Bush, Eminem, etc. Then play a sound clip of a person who they will not recognize (perhaps someone in the church). After many have guessed incorrectly, transition into the topic.] The final sound clip sounded foreign and strange because it wasn’t a voice that you were used to hearing. [HOOK to BOOK] Let’s check out a story in the Bible of another young man who heard a voice that he didn’t recognize.
BOOK
Samuel was a little younger than you guys, but he had been raised in the temple, because his mom had dedicated him to God at a young age. Even though he lived in the temple and was very familiar with scripture, he did not personally know God. Let’s see what happened one night while he was sleeping. [Read I Samuel 3:1-10] Notice how Samuel was unfamiliar with what he was hearing. Each time God spoke to him, he mistook it for Eli, and it wasn’t until Eli directed him as to what to do did he respond to God. Eli informed him, but it was ultimately Samuel’s choice, even though it may have been awkward to speak out in the silence of the night, to listen to God. What does God’s voice sound like? Let’s quickly get into five groups of four. [You may need to divide the class according to who is sitting closest to one another.] I’m going to give each group a scripture to look up. I want you to look up the verse and then decide on what God’s voice may sound like. [Give one of the following scriptures to an individual in each group: Ezekiel 1:24, I Kings 19:11-14, Proverbs 1:24, Psalms 68:33, Revelation 1:15. Ask that person to read their scripture to the others and discuss what aspect of God’s voice in reflected in that scripture. In 5 minutes pull everyone back together.] What did God’s voice sound like to these people in the Bible? [Allow response from the groups based on their scriptures. Write the attributes on the board.] [BOOK to LOOK] Did you know that God wants to talk to you just like He spoke to people in the Bible?
Look
In fact, in I Samuel 3:10, it says that God was already calling out to Samuel, but he didn’t know that it was Him. You may be thinking, “Why would I want to hear God’s voice?” Have you ever felt lonely or confused or just in need of a friend? God longs to talk to you. He wants to help you through the hard times, enjoy the good times, and just be with you throughout the day. Think about how you relate to your friends. When you have a good friend, you like to talk to them and be with them often. You hang out with them, and when you’re not with them, you’re talking on the phone . . . and when you’re not talking on the phone, you’re texting . . . and when you’re not texting, you’re checking out each other’s website and leaving messages on the internet. Just like how you enjoy being with your friends, God enjoys being with you! [BOOK to TOOK] So if God wants to be with and talk to you, and you want to hear Him, then why can’t we hear His voice?
Took
Perhaps it’s not that He’s not speaking, but that we’re focused elsewhere. [Choose one person out of the group.] I would like everyone to gather around [name of the student]. Now when I say, “GO,” I want everyone to either tell [name of the student] about your day or to convince them of something new they need in their life. Are you ready? Okay . . . go! [While the group is making a lot of noise, speak to the person in the center of the group in a normal voice, and try to give them a message.] Okay, well done! Everyone have a seat. Now let’s hear from [name of student]. What was it like to receive so many messages at once? Was it distracting? Was it hard to hear the message I was giving you? What would you have had to have done if you really wanted to get the message? In what ways is this like our lives? [Allow for response. Stimulate thoughts about friends, family, media, etc.] What can we do to hear God’s voice clearer? It has to be a choice. Samuel made the choice and decided to answer God. [Once, again read I Samuel 3:10.] We’re in a good place to practice hearing from God right here. [Pass out a handout, writing utensil, and an envelope to each person.] Let’s all take a moment and listen to God and ask him what we can do to draw closer to Him right now and throughout the course of the next week. [Pause for a few moments.] What is God saying to us right now? Everyone find a comfortable place in the room away from each other, and pray and ask God what He wants you to hear from Him. Use this time to write a note to yourself from God. [Give everyone 8-10 minutes.] Okay, now address the envelope to your current address, stick your letter in and seal it. No one’s going to see it but you. In several weeks, I will mail your letters back to you, and you’ll be able to look back and see what He was saying to you at the time. [Gather sealed envelopes. Mail to the students in several weeks!] Before we close, what are some ways that we can tune out some of the distractions this week? How can we help and encourage each other to hear God’s voice? [Allow closing discussion and challenge them to think of ways to eliminate distractions during the following week.]
November 27, 2006
Dear ,
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Love,
God
“Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’
Samuel answered, ‘Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen.’”
(I Samuel 3:10, the Message)
